Multiple-copying machine.



1.1. FLANIGAN.

MULTIPLE COPYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 1mm. I916- 1,272,787. Patented Julylfi, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J. .I. FLANIGAN'.

MULTIPLE COPYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-2|. ISIS.

1,272,787. Patented July 16, 1915;

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JOHN J. FLANIGAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO DUPLICATOR MANUFAC-TURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA...

MULTIPLE-COPYING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1918.

Application filed January 21, 1916. Serial No. 73,297.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. FLAMGAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Multiple-CopyingMachines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the art of multiple copying machines of thehectograph type, and has reference more particularly to that class ofsuch machines employing a flat printing bed supported on a suitableframe, and a duplicating band or apron stretched thereover betweenreceiving and delivery spools mounted in the frame at opposite ends ofthe bed respectively.

The primary and general object of the invention is to produce a machineof this type that shall be of simple and durable construction, capableof production at a low cost, easy to operate, and wherein the printingmay be effected either by the hand of the operator or by an impressionroller or any other impression device. More specific objects are, toprovide an improved spool for the copying apron, to provide, incombination with such spool, an improved means forremovably mounting andsupporting the same in the frame of the machine, to provide an improvedgage-bar for positioning and squaring sheets of different widths on theprinting bed, and to provide in association with the frame and bed animproved receptacle for containing and housing supplies and accessoriesof the machine, thus utilizing what would otherwise be waste space inthe machine.

Other minor objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent tothose familiar with the art from the following description taken inconnection with the accompanymg drawings forming a part of thisspecification, in which,-

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation, as

viewed from the lower right hand corner of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view partly in end elevation and partly in vertical sectionthrough'the frame, the gage-bar, and one of the spools and itsmountings;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of one of the spools; and

Fig. 6 is an end view of the same.

Referring to the drawings and describing first the frame structure andprinting-bed, 10 designates each of a pair of parallel vertical sideplates that are rigidly connected and spaced at their lower portions bycross bars 11, theends of which are turned down to form legs 12 and feet13, and are secured to the side plates by bolts or rivets 14. 15designates each of a pair of distance rods that rigidly connect andspace the upper portions of the side plates 10 above the crossbars 11,and form supports for a removable hinged bed plate 16. This latter, asis best shown in Fig. 2, has attached to its opposite sides near itsfront and rear ends front and rear angle brackets 17 and 18respectively. The depending portions of the brackets 17 are verticallyslotted or forked as shown at 19 to straddle and rest upon the forwarddistance rod 15, and the rear brackets 18 are horizontally slotted orforked as shown at 20 to similarly engage the rear distance rod 15 undera horizontal sliding movement. To remove the bed plate its forward endis raised until the brackets 17 clear the forward distance rod 15, andthen by a slight forward movement the rear brackets 18 are drawn clearof the rear distance rod 15. The bed-plate is put in place by theconverse of these operations performed in the inverse order in a mannerreadily understood. The described mounting of the bed-plate also enablesit to be tilted up on its rear hinges to afford access to an underlyingstorage receptacle hereinafter described. The ends of the bed plate 16are preferably bent downwardly, as shown at 16, in the general directionof the copying apron in passing between the spools or rolls and the endsof the printing bed, to reduce wear on the apron and avoid the necessityof anti-friction rollers at the ends of the bed plate. The bed plate 16is preferably furnished with a cloth covering 21 stretched thereover andsuitably secured thereto. The structural features of the machine as thusfar described are, with the exception of the inclined ends of the bedplate, shown, described and claimed in an earlier application filed byme on the 8th day of November 1915 Serial No. 60,251, and .no claimthereto is made herein.

lll

Over the bed-plate is stretched the usual gelatin duplicating apron orband 22, the end portions of which are wound on a pair of spools,designated as an entirety by'23, one of which is located at the head endof the machine and constitutes the receivin spool while the other islocated at the tai end ofthe machine and constitutes the delivery spool.When the'apron has been exhausted from the delivery spool and wound upon the receiving spool, the two spools are removed and interchanged andthe band is then rewound in the same direction, or the spools may beleft in place and the band rewound in the reverse direction. Figs. &, 5and 6 illustrate the detail structure of-this spool, which comprises acylindrical body portion 24 preferably of wood or other nonmetallicmaterial formed with a longitudinal groove or kerf 25 for the attachmentthereto of the end of the duplicating apron. The two ends of the spoolbody 24 are made polygonal in cross section, as by squaring them,- asshown at 26, and these squared ends are provided in their outer faceswith outwardly flaring or tapered central recesses or sockets 27 in linewith the axis of the spool.

Preferably, and as here shown, the squared ends of the spool are alsoequipped with sheet metal skeins 28 for greater strength and durability,and the outer faces or ends of the skeins are centrally apertured toregister with the recesses or sockets 27, and the metal surrounding saidapertures is preferably swaged inwardly to form a lining or bushing forthe sockets 27, as shown at 29. At the head end of the machine onesquared end of one of the spools is engaged with a supporting member30'that is journaled in one of the side plates of the frame and is,provided with a crank arm 31. The

inner end of the spool support 30 is formed as a chuck 3-2 that engagesthe squared end portion of the spool, and preferably the chuck isfurther formed with a tapered centerin pin 33 lying between the jaws ofthechue that centers the spool in the chuck through engagement with therecess 27,

East on the chuck is a ratchet disk 34 that is normally engaged by agravity detent '35 pivoted to the inner face of the side plate of theframe. The last described structure for supporting one end of the spoolis duplicated at the tail end of the machine, with the exception that aturning knob 36 (Fig.'

1) is substituted for the crank 31.

The other ends of the spool are removabl mounted on duplicate supports,each of which, as best shown. in Figsfl, 3 and 4:, comoo prises asupporting member .37 that is rigidly secured at its outer end to, andcarried by, a long leaf spring 38, which latter is secured at itsintermediate portion as by rivets 39 to the outer side of the oppositeside plate of the frame whereby the free end portitms per sheets ofdifferent widths. 1n the form herein shown, comprises a gageavage?" ashereinafter described. Each supportingmember 37 extends through anaperture l0 in the side plate of the frame and has formed on its innerface a cone-shaped spindie 41 that normally engages the tapered bearingrecess or socket in the proximate end of the spool forming a bearingsupport on which the latter may freely rotate, and preferably thesupporting member 37 is equipped with a stop pin 41' that limits theretracting movement of the supporting member to an extent sufficient tofacilitate the application and removal of the spool. Preferably, and asherein shown, each end of the long spring 38 is extended slightly beyondthe. frame plate, as shown at 38, which facilitates the flexing back ofthe spring by the thumb of the operator when applied for removing'aspoolfrom or positioning'it in its bearings. To place the spool inworking position either end thereof may be first engaged with itssupport, and then by flexing the spring end 38 outwardly the other end"of the spool may be readilyvantages, among which are the facility with iwhich the spool may be mounted and with drawn, the-accurate centerin andits security'ag'ainst acci ental dislodg ment from half bearings orother open-sided bearings.

of the spool,

I have also provided the present machine with an improved gage-bar welladapted for use on machines not employing a platen carriage forrollingout the sheet on the printing bed, and designed to facilitatetheaccurate and symmetrical positioning ofpa- This gage,

bar proper 42 of generally 2 form in cross section located directlyopposite the'head end of the printing bed and having rearwa-rdly'extending arms 43 that are pivoted at it to the side frame plates of themachine, so that the gagebar. may be tilted back 'to the dotted lineposition indicated in Fig, 2 to facilitate the mounting of the copyingapron and its rolls or spools.

edan adjustable gage plate or slide 46 having a finger i7. overlying thelower leaf of the gage-bar. The slide 4:6 is secured at any set positionlengthwise of the slot 45 by a thumb screw 48 and nut 49; In copylheupper horizontal 3 leaf of the gage-bar 42 is longitudinally slotted asshown at 45, and on the same is mounting a sheet, such as 50, themovable gage plate 46 is adjusted to and fixed in such a positionlengthwise of the gage-bar as will determine a symmetrical position ofthe sheet 50 on the printing bed through engagement of one corner of thesheet with the gage finger 47.

In order to render the machine as compact as possible and utilize whatwould otherwise be waste space for the storage of acressol'ics andsupplies I provide a sheet metal box .31. most clearly shown in Fig. 2,which is disposed between the side frame members and'beneath the bedplate. In order to use a receptacle of maximum dimensions, the lowerportion of the box 51 is formedwith rectangular reentrant ends 51' that,when the box is in position, rest upon and depend from the spacing bars11 of the frame, the end walls of the box lying just inside the distancerods 15. By either removing or tilting the bed plate upwardly tovertical position, this storage box 51 may be readily applied orremoved. The box may be utilized to carry the copying apron and itsspools as well as "arious other accessories of the machine; and sincethe bed plate in working position forms a cover for the box the latteris well adapted to protect its contents from dust, dirt and injury.

I claim:

1. In a duplicating machine, the combination with a frame structureincluding parallel side frame members, of a spool for a copying apronhaving squared ends each provided with a central recess, a supportingmember for one end of said spool journaled in one of said side framemembers and formed with a chuck adapted to engage one squared end ofsaid spool, and a centering pin adapted to engage the recess in saidend, and a supporting member for the other end of said spool mounted inthe other side frame member and formed with a non-rotatable spindleadapted to engage the recess in the other end of said spool, saidspindle being yieldable in the direction of the spool axis to permitapplication and removal of the spool, and said spool being reversibleend for end between its supporting members.

2. In a duplicating machine, the combination with a frame. structureincluding parallel side frame members, of a spool for a copying apronhaving squared ends, each provided with a central recess, a supportingmember for one end of said spool journaled in one of said side framemembers and formed with a chuck and a centering pin adapted to engagethe squared end and recess respectively at one end of said spool, asupporting member for the other end of said spool mounted in the otherside frame member and formed with a non-rotatable spindle adapted toengage the recess in the other end of said spool, said spindle beingmovable in the direction of the spool axis. and a spring normally urgingsaid spindle into bearing engagement with the end of the spool, saidspool being reversible end for end between its supporting members.

3. In a duplicating machine, the combination with a frame structureincluding parallel side frame members, of a reversible spool for acopying apron having squared ends each provided with a central recess, asupporting member for one end of said spool journaled in one of saidside frame members and formed with a chuck adapted to engage one squaredend of said spool, and a centering pin adapted to engage the recess insaid end, a spring secured to the other side frame member, and asupporting member for the other end of the spool directly carried bysaid spring and formed with a non-rotatable spindle adapted to engagethe recess in said other end of the spool.

. 4:. In a duplicating machine, the combination with a frame structureincluding parallel side Walls, of a spool for a copying apron havingcentrally recessed squared ends, a supporting member for one end of saidspool j ournaled in one of said side walls and formed with a. chuckadapted to engage one squared end of said spool, a leaf spring securedto the outer side of the other side wall, and a supporting member forthe other end of said spool secured to the free end portion of saidspring and extending through said side wall, said last named supportingmember having its inner end formed as, a spindle adapted to engage therecess in said other end of the spool.

5. In a duplicating machine, the combination with a frame structureincluding 'parallel side walls, of a pair of spools for a copying apron,each having centrally recessed squared ends, supporting members forstantially centrally to the outer side of the other side wall andextending lengthwise of the latter, and a pair of supporting members forthe other ends of said spools secured to the free end portions of saidspring respectively and extending through said other side wall, saidlast named supporting members having their inner ends formed as spindlesadapted to engage the recesses in said other ends of the spools.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a winding spool for a copying apronconsisting of a cylindrical body portion and duplicate end portions ofpolygonal cross-section rigid with said body portion, each of said endportions having formed in its outer face a bearing recess or socketaxially coincident with the axis of the spool body.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a

winding spool for a copying apron consisting of a cylindrical bodyportion and duplicate end portions of polygonal cross-section rigid withsaid body portion, each of said end portions having formed in its outerface an outwardly flaring bearing recess or socket axially coincidentwith the axis of the spool body.

8. As a new article of manufacture, a winding spool for a copying apronconsisting'of a cylindrical body portion having a longitudinal kerf andduplicate integral flattened end portions, each of said end portionshaving formed in its outer face a bearing recess or socket that isaxially coincident with the axis of the spool body.

9. As a newarticleof manufacture, a

' winding spool for a copying apron, consisting of a non-metalliccylindrical member having squared ends each formed with a central recessor socket in line with the axis of the spool, and metal skeins coveringsaid squared ends and formed with openings in their. outer facesregistering with said recesses.

10. As a new article of manufacture, a winding spool for a copying apronconsisting of a non-metallic cylindrical member having squared ends eachformed with a central recess or socket in line with the axis of thespool, and metal skeins covering said squared endsand having on theirouter faces inturned portions forming linings for said recesses. a

11. As a new article of manufacture, a winding spool for a copying apronconsisting of a cylindrical body portion and duplicate end portions ofpolygonal cross-section, each of said end portions having formed in itsouter face an outwardly flaring recess or socket axially coincident withthe axis of the spool body, and sheet-metal skeins covering said endportions and formed with openings in their outer faces registering withthe outer ends of said recesses.

12. As a new article of manufacture, a winding spool for a copying apronconsisting of a cylindrical body portion and duplicate end portions ofpolygonal cross-section, each of said end portions having formed in itsouter face an outwardly flaring recess or socket axially coincident withthe axis of the spool body, and sheet-metal skeins covering said endportions and havcentering pin for engaging one. end of said spool, aleaf spring secured to the outer side of the other side wall, and asupporting member for the other end of'said spool secured to said springand extending through said side wall, said last-named supporting memberhaving its inner end formed as a tapered bearing adapted to engage therecess in said other end of the spool.

14. .In a duplicatingmachine, the combination witha frame-structureincluding parallel side walls, of a copying-apron spool having squaredends each formed in its outer face with a central recess, a supportingmember for one end of said spool journaled in one of said side walls andformed with a driving chuck and a centering pin for engaging one end ofsaid spool, a leaf spring secured to the outer side of the other side-wall and having its free end'projecting beyond the end of the latter toform a fingerhold for flexing the spring outwardly, and a supportingmember for the other end of said spool secured to said spring andextending through said side wall, said lastnamed supporting member atits inner end engaging in the recess in said other end of the spool andserving as a bearing therefor.

JOHN J. FLANIGAN.

